The present invention relates to components and methods used for mounting devices such as ventricular assist devices and associated elements to the heart of a living subject.
The heart is sometimes incapable of providing sufficient pumping capacity to meet the needs of the body. The effects of this inadequacy can be alleviated by providing a mechanical pump referred to as a ventricular assist device (“VAD”) to supplement the pumping action of the heart. It is preferable for a VAD to have the ability to be implanted in a patient to supplement or replace the pumping action of the heart for an extended period of time. A patient may have a VAD for years while awaiting a suitable donor for a heart transplant.
A VAD is most commonly connected to the left ventricle. Most VADs have an outlet tube which is connected to the aorta. During operation, the VAD assists the heart to pump blood from the left ventricle to the ascending or descending aorta.
The VAD is typically connected to the heart through the use of a mounting ring, as disclosed in U.S. Published Patent Application Nos. 2004/0171905 and 2007/0134993, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Sutures are commonly used to secure the mounting ring to the exterior of the heart.
A separate surgical tool is then used to cut a hole in the heart within the mounting ring opening. The VAD, or an inlet tube connected to the VAD, is then connected to the left ventricle and secured to the mounting ring by a VAD connector. The seal between the heart and mounting ring must be sufficiently tight to prevent blood loss from the heart. Also, the attachment between the heart and the ring must remain secure despite mechanical stresses. The attachment procedure should not cause unacceptable damage to the wall of the heart. Suturing the mounting ring to the heart takes considerable time during the installation procedure. It would also be desirable to reduce the time taken to secure the ring to the heart.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved apparatus and method for mounting a VAD or other device to the heart.